Achiever who loves to help others wins at first Levenshulme Awards

A Roma woman who went from Big Issue seller to inspirational community member has been crowned the winner of the inaugural Levenshulme Awards. Ramona Constantin was homeless and could not speak English when she first arrived in Manchester two years ago. But, after getting work selling the Big Issue and finding a place to live, she became a key member of the Roma community – helping immigrants integrate into south Manchester life while holding down five jobs.

Ramona Constantin has been crowned overall winner at the Levenhulme’s Awards

A Roma woman who went from Big Issue seller to inspirational community member has been crowned the winner of the inaugural Levenshulme Awards.

Ramona Constantin was homeless and could not speak English when she first arrived in Manchester two years ago.

But, after getting work selling the Big Issue and finding a place to live, she became a key member of the Roma community – helping immigrants integrate into south Manchester life while holding down five jobs.

As well as working as an interpreter, Ramona, 26, offers advice and guidance at Longsight Sure Start centre, Cedar Mount High School and Longsight Youth Club. She also works as a cleaner at the weekend.

A packed audience at the Levenshulme Inspire centre has now seen her walk away with the overall award for her contribution to the community. Ramona told the South Manchester Reporter how she spent her days walking the streets of south Manchester in a desperate attempt to find work when she first arrived here.

She said: "I was all by myself just walking around, not knowing where to go or what to doing and often I would just start crying as I was missing my family and felt so hungry I’d be almost falling down.

"I started selling the Big Issue to get some money to eat and learning English by watching TV and the movies and picking things up from all around me.

"I’d see people enjoying themselves out at the shops and just wanted to be like them, a normal person being a part of a community.

"I’ve been able to get jobs and I just work as much as I can as I love helping people and showing them that it is possible to build a life here. Seeing people smile gives me all the energy I need." The awards were launched to recognise people who have made an outstanding contribution to the community in Levenshulme and south Gorton.

Ramona initially walked away with the Inspiration award before being crowned the night’s overall champion.

Winners were also crowned in the categories of inspiration, volunteer, carer, achiever, enterprise and courage.

Among the other winners were local business owner Ibrahim Hope of Village Stores in Levenshulme, who plans to turn his company into a co-operative for the local community, and carer Lance Blisset, who carries out domestic chores to help single parents.

More than 40 nominations were made for the awards by members of the local community.

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